Lalibra is in an old narrow street running parallel the main street Victor Emanuella and the outside is so understated it would be easy to walk past. But there is a menu and glass door that gives a peak of the pleasant minimalist interior. The tables and place setting belittle the aspirations of the chef. They even irreverently dump the bread on the table in front of your place. My first confusion was the man that looked like, and indeed was, the chef, wandering around taking orders. In fact Marco spends the evening doing that; taking as much interest in the front of house as the stoves when the restaurant is open. Of course there is nothing wrong with that: the art of good restaurant cooking always has been, and will always be, in the preparation, and the planning. From the small bar by the entrance it is possible to watch the goings on in the engine room and Marco flits in and does something and flits out: keeping a strict eye on the actions of the other two chefs.
Since trying to understand the Italian menu was successfully challenging my virtually nonexistent Italian I hailed the passing Marco. Always start at the top when you want info I say. He most helpfully pointed me in the right direction: directing me to some good new, to me, dishes.
Well the starter was not new, just now very unusual in the UK. I had essentially jellied eels. The eels were piled high and sat on a few refreshing fresh leaves including rocket.
For mains I had been directed to the stuffed lamb shank stuffed with the edible internal organs of the lamb. Again nicely presented with a smooth tasty stuffing. Fresh al dente veg lurked underneath and a good jus finished it off.
This was followed by a small selection of local cheese, and then a pleasant pud that included raspberries, panna cotta and strawberry ice cream. All I then needed was a grappa and expresso and short stagger home down the narrow streets of Alba. What I did not need was to find a bar called a pub with a few jolly people who happily sold me more grappa and few Leffe beers: a good night followed by a difficult morning

It was a Sunday lunch time and the sun was shining: I was in two minds as to whether to stay and work and look for an evening meal, or venture out for a lunch. In the end the room cleaner dislodged me from my computer and so I set out for Barberesco. I decided to forgo my usual wine and snack spot for the trattoria at the top of the village and was roundly rejected as it was full (maybe?). On my way out of town I saw a sign to Ristorante Rabaya and realising it would have a spectacular view over the vineyards took the detour. I was afraid I would again be told it was full: but the large mine host, a friendly cove when the pressure was off, directed me to the final table, on the terrace, that was unoccupied. I sat back with the glorious view over the rolling vine studded hills and accepted I was lucky to have a table so bitching about the service was barely on. In truth the service once it got going was spot on. A rather liked the way the large Boss women marched pedantically around the restaurant taking orders and serving wine, whilst the young waitress positively sprinted around with the food. It took a few minutes for my order to be taken at this busy hour: but I was never in doubt that my turn would come: which is more than I can say in some places!
My Italian is lousy and the place was busy so I pointed at the piccolo menu degustation, ordered a bottle of Arnis, Boss’s selection from list of growers, and sat back and waited. I did not wait long before a quick amuse boche of small piece of melon wrapped in prosciutto arrived. My wine was served as was a carafe of fizzante: this was recharged during the meal so it was cold: a nice touch.
The first course was really something different a layered terrine of mainly vegetables but also a little ham and fish. Obviously it had been packed into a bowl and then aspic added to bind it: so simple yet so good and a lovely fresh taste. The next offering was deep fried courgette flower, lightly battered and stuffed with what I was not sure: again very easy and very good.
This was followed by a pasta course of very thin tagliatelle with a meat sauce. The main was rabbit in Barberesco sauce which was a deep dark colour showing a certain heavy handiness with the wine bottle: but why not when the stuff is growing all around you! I opted for cheese rather than desert: and then took an expresso all included in the price as was the grappa. Not I might add a measly glass. Two bottles were put on the table so I could choose the less dry moscato version should I so choose and that was in a magnum bottle. I suppose if I wanted I could have given myself a fearful headache: but I only had a single glass as I had had a nice half litre bottle of Barberesco wine to flush down the rabbit and the cheese.
At the end of the meal the chef escaped from t kitchen and came round the tables. I guessed who it was when she came round but later on I spoke to Boss lady and she confirmed it was her mother. Apparently the girl waitress was an occasional helper as usually the other waitress was her sister. So the Ristorante Rabaya is run by a mother and her two daughters: that is a change and they did a splendid job!

In the centre of Barberesco and found La Gibigianna, a tiny wine bar
with an outside terrace. We asked for a glass of white wine and were offered Chardonnay, or Arneis. Arneis turned out to be wonderful flavoursome wine made from the Arneis grape that is only grown in Piedmont and is seldom exported from the area. Since it was on all wine lists we saw in the area, it does indeed seem to be one of those products that is deemed too good to let others have it! Further research showed that the name means difficult as the grape is difficult. I do not care how tricky it is as long as there is plenty to drink when I go back!
La Gibigianna, in particular boss Franchino, provided typical hospitality in that with the wine came Focaccia bread and then a plate of mortadella. As with many things there is mortadella and there is mortadella and the difference is that between chalk and cheese. This was by far the best mortadella I have ever had. We then spotted a plate of salamis and gave up on the next door restaurant and decided to lunch here. We had a plate of salami that reworked the way I thought of salami. It is normally a dried chewy substance but not this salami. This was fresh and devoid of chew - delicious but very rich. We had also ordered anchovies and a plate of anchovy fillets the size of sardines arrived. Oh what joy. By now, of course, we were drinking the Arneis by the bottle. An ideal simple meal, typically Italian in this lovely old town where wine is not only king but bread and butter as well.

This is a wonderful restaurant and hotel run with true loving care by
Claudia and Tonino. One look as Tonino as he patrols the bar outside the dining room will tell you this is man who loves his food and in his word believes in "friendship and gluttony, two things that make life wiser and nicer." The beautifully designed menus give an insight to the thinking of this couple who have been here since 1971, the year they were married. They have concentrated on cooking regional Piedmont food, and making wine to suit that food. They talk about walking the hills and valleys in search of that special dish. The menu offers rabbit, eel, trout and veal tail, as well as local herbs, truffles and mushrooms.
My one complaint is that the dining rooms are fairly small and we were in a room with three other couples which was a touch claustrophobic. There is a main room and indeed the bar to eat in, and by day there is a charming terrace. All in all a great and find a suitable conclusion to out Piedmont stay.

This is a Michelin starred restaurant with rooms. We dined from their menu fantasia. The dish of real note was the wild mushrooms baked in the oven. Very simple a big portion of porcini sealed in baking paper with remarkably little else other than the funghi themselves. I noted a bay leave and I suspect a drop of water, or maybe oil, and s and p. Otherwise the food was as you would expect with this class of restaurant, with the inevitable foie gras to start and a pleasant dish of stuff quails as a main course, followed by cheese and pud. Basically a family run operation, this is a great spot to both stay and dine.

When I was in Budapest and My Friend George first re-opened the Gundel I was for ever upsetting him because I would never say that
everything was wonderful. I never thought it was bad: just it could be better. You can read my original comments about Gundel in the Eastern Europe section HERE
Gundel Website

There are several rooms; however the main area, which is quite small, contains the band. So if it is avaricious Gypsies you want see, book.........early.

And on a personal note I forecast Fausto’s success when he first opened. That is now almost a lifetime away but it is still nice to know you got it right!